精灵血脉四部曲-第118部分

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　　　Two　tall；　broad…shouldered　guards　flanked　the　skin　flap　of　the　mead　hall's　opening；　their　beards　and　breath　smelling　more　than　a　little　of　thick　mead。　They　bristled　at　first；　then　moved　hastily　aside　when　they　recognized　the　visitors。　One　rushed　to　the　closest　end　of　the　long　table　set　in　the　hall's　center　to　announce　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie；　listing　their　known　feats　and　their　heritage　（Catti…brie's　at　least；　for　Drizzt's　heritage　would　not　be　a　source　of　glory　in　Settlestone）。

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　waited　patiently　at　the　door　with　the　other　man；　who　easily　outweighed　the　two　of　them　put　together。　Both　of　them　focused　on　Berkthgar；　seated　halfway　down　the　table's　right…hand　side；　and　he　inevitably　looked　past　the　man　announcing　the　visitors　to　stare　back　at　them。

　　　Catti…brie　thought　the　man　a　fool　in　his　argument　with　Bruenor；　but　neither　she　nor　Drizzt　could　help　but　be　impressed　by　the　giant　barbarian。　He　was　nearly　as　tall　as　Wulfgar；　fully　six　and　a　half　towering　feet；　with　broad　shoulders　and　hardened　arms　the　size　of　a　fat　dwarf's　thighs。　His　brown　hair　was　shaggy；　hanging　low　over　his　shoulders；　and　he　was　beginning　a　beard　for　winter；　the　thick　tufts　on　his　neck　and　cheeks　making　him　appear　all　the　more　fierce　and　imposing。　Settlestone's　leaders　were　picked　in　contests　of　strength；　in　matches　of　fierce　battle；　as　the　barbarians　had　selected　their　leaders　through　their　history。　No　man　in　Settle…stone　could　defeat　Berkthgar桞erkthgar　the　Bold；　he　was　called梐nd　yet；　because　of　that　fact；　he　lived；　more　than　any　of　the　others；　in　the　shadow　of　a　dead　man　who　had　bee　legend。

　　　〃Pray；　join　us！〃　Berkthgar　greeted　warmly；　but　the　set　of　his　expression　told　the　two　panions　that　he　had　been　expecting　this　visit；　and　was　not　so　thrilled　to　see　them。　The　chieftain　focused　particularly　on　Drizzt；　and　Catti…brie　read　both　eagerness　and　trepidation　in　the　large　man's　sky…blue　eyes。

　　　Stools　were　offered　to　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　（a　high　honor　for　Catti…brie；　for　no　other　woman　was　seated　at　the　table；　unless　upon　the　lap　of　a　suitor）。　In　Hengorot；　and　in　all　this　society；　the　women　and　children；　save　for　the　older　male　children；　were　servants。　They　hustled　now；　placing　mugs　of　mead　before　the　newest　guests。

　　　Both　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　eyed　the　drinks　suspiciously；　knowing　they　had　to　keep　their　heads　perfectly　clear；　but　when　Berkthgar　offered　a　toast　to　them　and　held　his　own　mug　high；　custom　demanded　they　likewise　salute。　And　in　Hengorot；　one　simply　did　not　sip　mead！

　　　Both　friends　downed　their　mugs　to　rousing　cheers；　and　both　looked　to　each　other　despairingly　as　another　full　mug　quickly　replaced　the　emptied　one。

　　　Unexpectedly；　Drizzt　rose　and　deftly　hopped　up　on　the　long　table。

　　　〃My　greetings　to　the　men　and　women　of　Settlestone；　to　the　people　of　Berkthgar　the　Bold！〃　he　began；　and　a　chorus　of　deafening　cheers　went　up；　roars　for　Berkthgar；　the　focus　of　the　town's　pride。　The　huge；　shaggy…haired　man　got　slapped　on　the　back　a　hundred　times　in　the　next　minute；　but　not　once　did　he　blink；　and　not　once　did　he　take　his　suspicious　gaze　from　the　dark　elf。

　　　Catti…brie　understood　what　was　going　on　here。　The　barbarians　had　e　to　grudgingly　accept　Drizzt；　but　still　he　was　a　scrawny　elf；　and　a　dark　elf　on　top　of　it　all！　The　paradox　was　more　than　a　little　unfortable　for　them。　They　saw　Drizzt　as　weak梡robably　no　stronger　than　some　of　their　hardy　womenfolk梐nd　yet　they　realized　that　not　one　of　them　could　defeat　the　drow　in　bat。　Berkthgar　was　the　most　unfortable　of　all；　for　he　knew　why　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　e；　and　he　suspected　this　issue　about　the　hammer　would　be　settled　between　him　and　Drizzt。

　　　〃Truly　we　are　grateful；　nay；　thrilled；　at　your　hospitality。　None　in　all　the　Realms　can　set　a　table　more　inviting！〃　Again　the　cheers。　Drizzt　was　playing　them　well；　and　it　didn't　hurt　that　more　than　half　of　them　were　falling…down　drunk。

　　　〃But　we　cannot　remain　for　long；〃　Drizzt　said；　his　voice　suddenly　solemn。　The　effect　on　those　seated　near　the　drow　was　stunning；　as　they　seemed　to　sober　immediately；　seemed　to　suddenly　grasp　the　weight　of　the　drow's　visit。

　　　Catti…brie　saw　the　sparkle　of　the　ruby　pendant　hanging　about　Drizzt's　neck；　and　she　understood　that　though　Drizzt　wasn't　actively　using　the　enchanting　gem；　its　mere　presence　was　as　intoxicating　as　any　amount　of　thick　mead。

　　　〃The　heavy　sword　of　war　hangs　over　us　all；〃　Drizzt　went　on　gravely。　〃This　is　the　time　of　allian？

　　　Berkthgar　abruptly　ended　the　drow's　speech　by　slamming　his　mug　on　the　table　so　brutally　that　it　shattered；　splattering　those　nearby　with　golden…brown　mead　and　glass　fragments。　Still　holding　the　mug's　handle；　the　barbarian　leader　unsteadily　clambered　atop　the　table　to　tower　over　the　dark　elf。

　　　In　the　blink　of　an　eye；　Hengorot　hushed。

　　　〃You　e　here　claiming　alliance；〃　the　barbarian　leader　began　slowly。　〃You　e　asking　for　alliance。〃　He　paused　and　looked　around　at　his　anxious　people　for　dramatic　effect。　〃And　yet　you　hold　prisoner　the　weapon　that　has　bee　a　symbol　of　my　people；　a　weapon　brought　to　glory　by　Wulfgar；　son　of　Beornegar！〃

　　　Thunderous　cheers　erupted；　and　Catti…brie　looked　up　to　Drizzt　and　shrugged　helplessly。　She　always　hated　it　when　the　barbarians　referred　to　Wulfgar　by　his　legacy；　as　the　son　of　Beornegar。　For　them　to　do　so　was　an　item　of　pride；　and　pride　alone　never　sat　well　with　the　pragmatic　woman。

　　　Besides；　Wulfgar　needed　no　claim　of　lineage　to　heighten　his　short　life's　achievements。　His　children；　had　he　sired　any；　would　have　been　the　ones　to　rightfully　speak　of　their　father。

　　　〃We　are　friends　of　the　dwarf　king　you　serve；　dark　elf；〃　Berkthgar　went　on；　his　booming　voice　resonating　off　the　stone　sections　of　Hengorot's　walls。　〃And　we　ask　the　same　of　Bruenor　Battle…hammer；　son　of　Bangor；　son　of　Garumn。　You　shall　have　your　alliance；　but　not　until　Aegis…fang　is　delivered　to　me。

　　　〃I　am　Berkthgar！〃　the　barbarian　leader　bellowed。

　　　〃Berkthgar　the　Bold！〃　several　of　the　man's　advisors　quickly　piped　in；　and　another　chorus　went　up；　a　toast　of　mugs　lifted　high　to　the　mighty　chieftain　of　Settlestone。

　　　〃Bruenor　would　sooner　deliver　his　own　axe；〃　Drizzt　replied；　thoroughly　fed　up　with　Berkthgar's　glories。　The　drow　understood　then　that　he　and　Catti…brie　had　been　expected　in　Settlestone；　for　Berkthgar's　little　speech；　and　the　reaction　to　it；　had　been　carefully　planned；　even　rehearsed。

　　　〃And　I　do　not　think　you　would　enjoy　the　way　he　would　deliver　that　axe；〃　the　drow　finished　quietly；　when　the　roaring　had　died　away。　Again　came　the　hush　of　expectation；　for　the　drow's　words　could　be　taken　as　a　challenge；　and　Berkthgar；　blue　eyes　squinting　dangerously；　seemed　more　than　ready　to　pick　up　the　gauntlet。

　　　〃But　Bruenor　is　not　here；〃　the　barbarian　leader　said　evenly。　〃Will　Drizzt　Do'Urden　champion　his　cause？〃

　　　Drizzt　straightened；　trying　to　decide　the　best　course。

　　　Catti…brie's　mind；　too；　was　working　fast。　She　held　little　doubt　that　Drizzt　would　accept　the　challenge　and　put　Berkthgar　down　at　once；　and　the　men　of　Settlestone　surely　would　not　tolerate　that　kind　of　embarrassment。

　　　〃Wulfgar　was　to　be　my　husband！〃　she　yelled；　rising　from　her　chair　just　as　Drizzt　was　about　to　respond。　〃And　I　am　the　daughter　of　Bruenor梑y　rights；　the　princess　of　Mithril　Hall。　If　anyone　here　is　to　champion　my　father's　cause？

　　　〃You　will　name　him；〃　Berkthgar　reasoned。

　　　〃I　will　be。。。　her；〃　Catti…brie　replied　grimly。

　　　Roars　went　up　again；　all　about　the　mead　hall；　and　more　than　a　few　women　at　the　back　of　the　room　tittered　and　nodded　hopefully。

　　　Drizzt　didn't　seem　so　pleased；　and　the　look　he　put　over　Catti…brie　was　purely　plaintive；　begging　her　to　calm　this　situation　before　things　got　fully　out　of　hand。　He　didn't　want　a　fight　at　all。　Neither　did　Catti…brie；　but　the　room　was　in　a　frenzy　then；　with　more　than　half　the　voices　crying　for　Berkthgar　to　〃Fight　the　woman！〃　as　though　Catti…brie's　challenge　had　already　been　launched。

　　　The　look　that　Berkthgar　put　over　Catti…brie　was　one　of　pure　outrage。

　　　She　understood　and　sympathized　with　his　predicament。　She　had　meant　to　go　on　and　explain　that　she　would　be　Bruenor's　only　champion；　if　there　was　to　be　a　champion；　but　that　she　had　not　e　here　to　fight。　Events　had　swept　her　past　that　point；　however。

　　　〃Never！〃　Berkthgar　roared　above　the　din；　and　the　room　calmed　somewhat；　eager　cries　dying　away　to　whispers。　〃Never　have　I　battled　a　woman！〃

　　　That's　an　attitude　Berkthgar　had　better　overe　soon；　Drizzt　thought；　for　if　the　dark　elves　were　indeed　marching　to　Mithril　Hall；　there　would　be　little　room　for　such　inhibitions。　Females　were　typically　the　strongest　of　drow　warriors；　both　magically　and　with　weapons。

　　　〃Fight　her！〃　cried　one　man；　obviously　very　drunk；　and　he　was　laughing　as　he　called；　and　so；　too；　were　his　fellows　about　him。

　　　Berkthgar　looked　from　the　man　to　Catti…brie；　his　huge　chest　heaving　as　he　tried　to　take　in　deep　breaths　to　calm　his　rage。

　　　He　could　not　win；　Catti…brie　realized。　If　they　fought；　he　could　not　win；　even　if　he　battered　her。　To　the　hardy　men　of　Settlestone；　even　lifting　a　weapon　against　her　would　be　considered　cowardly。

　　　Catti…brie　climbed　onto　the　table　and　gave　a　slight　nod　as　she　passed　in　front　of　Drizzt。　Hands　on　hips梐nd　her　hip　out　to　the　side　to　accentuate　her　feminine　figure梥he　gave　a　wistful　smile　to　the　barbarian　leader。　〃Not　with　weapons；　perhaps；〃　she　said。　〃But　there　are　other　ways　a　man　and　woman　might　pete。〃

　　　All　the　room　exploded　at　that　ment。　Mugs　were　lifted　so　forcefully　in　toast　that　little　mead　remained　in　them　as　they　came　back　down　to　the　eager　mouths　of　the　men。　Several　in　the　back　end　of　Hengorot　took　up　a　lewd　song；　clapping　each　other　on　the　back　at　every　crescendo。

　　　Drizzt's　lavender　eyes　grew　so　wide　that　they　seemed　as　if　they　would　simply　roll　out　of　their　sockets。　When　Catti…brie　took　the　moment　to　regard　him；　she　feared　he　would　draw　his　weapons　and　kill　everyone　in　the　room。　For　an　instant；　she　was　flattered；　but　that　quickly　passed；　replaced　by　disappointment　that　the　drow　would　think　so　little　of　her。

　　　She　gave　him　a　look　that　said　just　that　as　she　turned　and　jumped　down　from　the　table。　A　man　nearby　reached　out　to　catch　her；　but　she　slapped　his　hands　away　and　strode　d